Chapter 147: Black Arm Zephyr.

The world-shaking awarding ceremony ended, and Chiga went to see Zephyr immediately.

The two met in the barren training grounds behind the Marine camp, the same place where Zephyr had once given Chiga special training.

Zephyr looked at his student with genuine pride. In such a short span of time, Chiga had already become a Marine Admiral. It had taken Zephyr thirty-eight years to reach that rank.

And Chiga was still under twenty years old. A Marine Admiral under twenty—it was almost unbelievable.

Zephyr let out a deep sigh and said,

"Chiga, I didn't expect you to become an Admiral so quickly. I'm truly proud of you."

Chiga smiled and replied,

"It's all thanks to your guidance, Teacher."

"No," Zephyr shook his head, "compared to your talent, my guidance barely scratched the surface."

"Teacher, when did you become so modest? That's not like you. I heard from Fleet Admiral Sengoku that you've been training lately. Is that true?"

Zephyr blinked, surprised. Sengoku really can't keep his mouth shut, he thought.

He had planned to wait until he fully mastered the abilities of that Mythical Zoan fruit before challenging Sengoku—to see whose Great Buddha was stronger, or whether his new Ox-King form could stand at the top.

Only after eating the fruit did Zephyr realize just how incredible Devil Fruits truly were.

He'd never been fond of them, but the power boost from the Ox-King fruit was undeniable.

If it weren't for the horrible taste, he might've honestly said, This is amazing!

Now that Chiga knew, there was no reason to hide it. After all, the fruit had come from Chiga himself. There was nothing he couldn't share with him.

With that in mind, Zephyr said,

"Yeah, I ate the fruit you gave me. It's a real monster of a power. I feel even stronger than I was in my prime."

Hearing this, Chiga raised an eyebrow. Why does Teacher Zephyr sound like someone going through a beginner's power trip?

Unaware of his student's inner thoughts, Zephyr began to get fired up. Since they were on the topic, why not let Chiga witness his current strength?

And at the same time, he wanted to test Chiga's limits—especially since Kaido and Shanks had already lost to him.

The more he thought about it, the more his hands itched.

His gaze shifted. It was subtle at first—but soon, Chiga noticed.

"Teacher Zephyr? Why are you looking at me like that? If something's wrong, just say it. I'll help however I can."

Zephyr shook his head, staring into his eyes.

"It's nothing," he said. "Teacher just wants to have a little fight with you."

"Huh?"

"What do you mean 'Huh'? You're not scared of hurting your old teacher, are you?"

"Uh… that's not what I meant. It's just—"

"Just what? Take this!"

Before Chiga could react, Zephyr's fist was already coated in black Armament Haki, and he launched a sudden punch toward Chiga's abdomen.

But Chiga's reaction was instant. His body transformed into a bolt of lightning, disappearing and reappearing a good distance away.

Thanks to the Goro Goro no Mi, his Observation Haki was constantly enhanced by the lightning within him. And since Zephyr's punch was more of a warm-up, it wasn't going to land.

Zephyr grinned. He was satisfied with that reaction.

He valued fundamental training the most. That's why he always scolded Kizaru for leaning too much on the Pika Pika no Mi.

While Chiga had just used his Devil Fruit powers, the reflex behind it came from raw combat instinct.

Kizaru's physical skills weren't actually bad—but the Pika Pika no Mi was just too easy, and flashy, to rely on anything else.

Among the top Logia users—Kizaru, Aokiji, Akainu—Kizaru's fruit was the flashiest and most convenient of them all.

Back in the training field, Chiga looked exasperated.

Teacher Zephyr, ambushing your own student? Seriously?

Still, letting Zephyr enjoy himself wasn't a bad thing. He figured he'd play along just this once.

His expression turned serious. Advanced Armament Haki coated his arms, and a powerful, oppressive aura erupted from him—he was ready for a real fight.

Zephyr's eyes sharpened. He felt that surge of intent and smiled faintly.

Black Armament Haki extended from his hands up to his elbows. At that moment, the infamous "Black Arm" Zephyr had returned.

His eyes locked onto Chiga, and in an instant, he stomped the ground dozens of times, using Soru from the Six Powers.

With Zephyr's power behind it, the technique was incredibly fast. In a flash, he was right in front of Chiga, and his right arm swelled as he threw a heavy punch.

Chiga met it with one of his own.

BOOM!

The ground beneath them cracked like shattered glass, shockwaves spreading in all directions as dust rose high into the air.

Zephyr didn't let up. His left arm followed through, launching a storm of rapid punches.

Chiga's fighting spirit surged. Without using any of his other powers, he answered each blow with a punch of his own.

The scene was like something out of a brawl anime—relentless fists flying in sync, blow for blow.

After several powerful exchanges, Zephyr eventually pulled back, ending the assault. His breathing was a bit ragged.

Chiga looked down at his fists, still steaming with heat. The intensity of the clash was evident.

Zephyr stepped back, catching his breath. Despite the stamina drain, he couldn't help but feel exhilarated.

At the same time, he gained a clearer picture of Chiga's true strength. He knew Chiga hadn't even used his full power—none of his advanced abilities had come into play.

Yet even in pure hand-to-hand combat, Zephyr had been at a disadvantage.

No wonder Kaido and Shanks lost to him, he thought. He really is a monster.

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